Automobile radio antenna



June ll, 1940. c. c. FJawl-:LLy

AUTOMOBILE RADIO ANTENNA 2 Sheets-Sheet l June l1, 1940. c. c. FARWELL 2,203,986

AUTOMOBILE RADIO ANTENNA Filed Nov. 17, 1938 d 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a? I l ATTORNEY N omi-sn STATES Patented Junell, 1940 f AroMoBILE immo ANTENNA d Claude C; Farwell, Groton, Mass.` v `Application November 17, 1938, Serial No. 240,988 I 2 claims. (ci. 25o- 33) t Among the objects ofthe `invention are to provide` an antenna having- High eiciency in signal pickup; I One that may easily be lapplied to any car; One that will present a neat and attractive appearance and `harmonize with `the fittings of the `modern car;

One that does not normally extend above the top` of the car, but is capable of extension for obtaining better pickup capacity if desired; and One that permits of avery short easily` shielded lead-in from the antenna to the `radio set.

The invention can best be seen and understood by reference tothe drawings in which ex-` amples are shown and in which--` Fig. l shows infront elevation an automobile with one example of the antenna applied to itz` Fig. 2 is a cross section of a detail of con-1 struction to which special reference will later be made.

Fig. 3 is a front `elevation 4of `certain parts I i of construction.

` the antenna.

" side the cowl.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the antenna shown in Fig. 6 when applied to the automobile; and

Fig. 8 is an elevation of another example of the antenna along the lines of that shown in Fig. 7 but embodying `a modified construction.

In the drawings I represents the cowl oan automobile, `2 the windshield, Attached to the cowl just below and in front of the windshield, on the opposite sides of the cowl, are brackets `3 with arms 4 outstanding from the body of each bracket. Each. bracket is secured `to the cowl by bolts 5 passed through its body and through the metal of the cowl and retained by nuts 6 in- Forined lwithin the body of each bracket is a hole 'I which in the attached bracket `is continued through the metal of the cowl and through this hole the lead-in wire B is extended `to connect with the radio set (not shown).`

`Set into the arms 4 of the bracketsareim sulating grummets I ef any suitable insulating i material. Passed through the arms `4` thus fitted with grummets, are rods |27 which are insulated from `the brackets by the grurnrnets.` The lower end of each of the rods is threaded, where the rod in the free ends of tighten against the grummet and arm` of the bracket `fixing therod securely in place.

The rods l2 are preferably arranged by the setting of the brackets to extend vertically upward although they may be inclined if desired towards the windshield.` `The rods I 2 extend telescopically into l tubes `I4. These tubes are provided each with aright angular bend I in it whereby the free ends of the combined tubes will point in wardly towards one another across the cowl well aboveitfand in front of the windshield. Connecting and telescopically contained 1n part withthetubes thus extending is a rod I6.

At the point where a rodextends telescopically into a tube the rod is securely fixed to the tube. The end of the tube into which the rod is enter- `ing isprovided with a split it, and threaded.

Arranged upon this threaded `and split end of the tube and, also, upon the entering vrod is a coupling 2li.` t This coupling has a slip t upon the rod and` beyond, where the coupling engages the split end of the tube,` the interior of coupling is threaded `and made slightly tapering so that when `the coupling is screwed on to the end of I the tube it will bind the split end of theI tube hard against the contained rod thereby fixing the rod PATENTOFFICE f and tube securely together in any telescopically t adjusted position.

Inasmuch aseach of the uprights of the anantenna is composed of a rod and tube into which the rod telescopically extends to be there iiXed in any telescopically adjusted position, consequently the antenna where it crosses the cowl may be` raised to a point either below the top an antenna which rises well above the top of t the car and gives better pickup for radio waves under conditions where reception is hard to obwhich the rod telescopically extends to be fixed in any telescopically adjusted position, and this `permits of precise lateral adjustment accordin to the width of the car.

1n assembling the antenna and attaching it to a car the brackets i` are rst xed'to the cowl and the rods I I2 set in the brackets. The tubes I4 and interposed rod 6 are then combined and adjustably fixed by the couplings according to the width of the car and then the tubes are slipped down over the rods`I2 and xed thereto by the couplings.` Afterwards the lead-in wire sistance than does solid rod. It is obvious that considerable variation may be made in the series of elements forming the antenna and the manner of their telescopic connection. For example, in Figs. 6 to 8, inclusive, a construction is shown in which the telescopic elements of the antenna are connected without the need of couplings, andI this through frictional engagement betweenrthe' elements themselves, and this admitting, a1so,'.of the elements being arranged in anydeterminate adjusted position.

In Fig. 6 there are shown tubes 22 having bends I therein into the opposing end portions of which telescopically fits a tube or rod 23. The initial formation or bending of the tubes 22 is such that, with the contained -tube 23 in their respective ends, those portions 221 of the tubes 22 which form the uprights tothe antenna occupy anv angular outwardly turned position with yrelation to each other. When theseportions 221 ofthe tubes 22 are moved in so as to be attached, as before described, to the brackets 3 on the sides of the car strain will consequently be thrown upon the interposed tube 23 and this tube will be bent. In consequenceof such bending or distortion its ends will be frictionally retained within the end por-` tions of the tubes 22 in any determinate adjusted f position (see Fig. 7).

Instead of attaching the end portions 22 of the tubes 22 to the brackets the tubes may be brought into telescopically engage tubes or rods 24 fixed to the brackets (as shownin Fig. 8)., thus permitting of the'raising of the antenna as previously described. The tubes 22 will then be made to frictionally engage the elements `2li :and be maintained in any determinate adjusted position thereon for the reason that the bending or distortion of the connecting element 23 will throw such strain upon the elements that not only vwill the element 23 be frictionally retained Vwithinthe opposing endsof the elements 22 as previously described, but these elements themselves will be thrown into hard frictional engagement with the fixed elements 24 and will consequently maintain any determinate adjusted position upon these elements.

'Ihe telescopic elements of the antenna are preferably made of copper and they together with the brackets may be chromium plated or otherwise finished` to correspond with the finish of the car. i

I claim:

A radio antenna for an automobile having l a windshield and 'cowl adjacent'thereto comprising a series of elements telescopically connected includingopposing elements havingbends therein and into the opposite end portions of which the end portions of an interposed element is telescopically contained, means whereby said opposing elements may be insulatingly connected to the opposite' sides of said? cowl, said opposing elements being so initially formed in relation to said interposed element. that said interposed element will be sprung upon fixing saidopposing elements to said cowl and the frictional engagement between its ends and said opposing elements'be tensionally maintained.

2. A radio antenna for an automobile having a windshield and cowl adjacent 'thereto comprising a series of elements telescopicallyv connected including *upright elements, opposing elements having bends therein in telescopic engagement with said upright elements and into the opposite end portions of which opposing elements the end portions of an interposed element is telescopically Icontained, meanswhereby said upright elements may be insulatingly connectedto the opposite sides of said cowl, said opposingelements being soA initially; formed in relation .to p said interposed element that said interposed element will be sprung upon bringing said opposing elements into .telescoping engagement with said upright elements when connected to the cowl as aforesaid and the frictional engagement between all of said elements be tensionally maintained.

CLAUDE C. FARWEL/L. 

